A Stag and A Doe
by Into.Your.Arms
Summary: Defense Against the Dark Arts. It would be fine if Lily didnt have to sit next to Him. currently a one shot set in seventh year. please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

_**A Stag and A Doe**_

Defence Against The Dark Arts. It would be fine, if Lily didn't have to sit next to _Him. _She was probably the only girl in the entire year who had successfully avoided dating him. Not only that, but she had generally tried to avoid the mere task of conversation with him and that had been quite a feat. Yes, there had been arguments, shouting, hexes and the occasional desire to cast an unforgivable but that hardly counted as conversation, did it?

The only problem was that for the first 6 years of her Hogwarts attendance he had been hell bent on getting into her pants. Of course he denied that that was all he wanted but Lily wouldn't fall for it. She was too smart to be taken in by charm, good looks, money and an amazing quiditch body…

At least, in the last 6 years she hadn't. But this year things had changed. Lily couldn't pretend that she'd ever been oblivious to his good looks; just that his personality and behaviour had always been more important to her and to her, they were everything that was wrong with society.

Now, however, he'd changed. Out of some temporary debilitating mind loss, Dumbledore had decided to make him Head Boy to her Head Girl. The weird thing was that it had matured him. He did his work on time, stopped sneaking out and playing stupid pranks with his little gang and, most importantly to Lily, he hadn't once asked her out since the end of their sixth year. As much as she would never admit it out loud, after getting to know him as they worked together, she was beginning to like him.

"It's not like you to be distracted, Evans… Thinking about me were you?" His voice cut into her thoughts and she coloured a little at his accuracy.

"In your dreams, Potter," she replied coolly. "I was thinking about writing home, that's all. What are we doing?"

"Pairing up and practising patronuses. This is one spell you are NOT going to master quicker than me, Lil. Not even by summoning the happiest memory you've ever had." Lily watched his trademark hair ruffle coupled with the challenging smirk as she tried to think up a clever response. Unfortunately the smirk seemed to be clouding her thoughts.

Slightly disturbed, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Whatever Potter. Winning the quiditch cup isn't quite a happy enough memory to produce a corporeal patronus. Maybe if I'd actually agreed to go out with you once…"

"Whoa, watch what you're saying there Lils. You have been thinking about me haven't you? Upset I haven't asked you out in a while?" Now he added a single eyebrow raise to the hair-ruffling and smirking that seemed to be messing with Lily's brain. Still even that wasn't enough to stop her realising what she'd just said to James.

"N-no of course not!" She stammered quickly, blushing furiously. "Now stop trying to distract me and get on with the spell. Or don't you realise how important learning to cast a patronus is? It can save your soul you know, if you have one."

"Yeah I know." He replied quietly, his tone serious. "I cast one once before. Dementors out of the ministries control attacked my house about a year back and my dad didn't have his wand on him. I literally saved his soul, if he has one."

"Merlin James, I had no idea. That's, that's amazing. Casting a patronus like that without training. That's amazing magic. Your dad must have been so grateful."

"Yeah, something like that," he sneered, his tone and demeanour changing once again. "My dad was impressed with the magic, enough to tell me that I clearly wasn't applying myself enough at Hogwarts and to lecture me once again about the importance of education. Now come on. You need the practice, not everyone can be as skilled as I am at defensive magic."

"Fluke."

"Yeah? We'll see about that. Come on, cast together. On the count of 3…"

Lily looked at him; he was staring mischievously at her, daring her to beat him.

"Ready? 1…" They held their wands ready, eyes still locked.

"2," She took one more look before closing her eyes. His smirk had dissolved into a smile that truly lit up his handsome features. Focusing on this, Lily pursed her lips, letting happy memories of the last year flood into her mind. Sitting with James under the big oak tree in the last of the September sun planning out prefect patrols, receiving her head girl badge and the following family celebration, the first time James called her Lily, looking into his eyes late one night by the common room fire after a tough patrol…

"3." She opened her eyes. James was staring at her again, the same smile playing on his lips.

"Expecto Patronum!" They yelled simultaneously. Two sharp bursts silver light caught Lily's attention and she watched, awestruck, as they took shape.

"A doe." She whispered. "Amazing." Then turning to James she added, "First time. Looks like you're not the only one with…" He wasn't listening though he just stared straight into her eyes.

"A doe," he repeated. "A doe and a stag. Lily I…" And then he kissed her. In a classroom full of other students they had both managed to forget. A wolf whistle and a shout broke them apart. Lily could feel her cheeks glowing. She put a hand to her mouth, her eyes darting anywhere but his face.

"Prongs my boy, just when I think you've finally given up you pull a stunt like that. At least she couldn't say no this time, huh?"

"Yeah, Padfoot, couldn't say no," James mumbled. "Did you see my patronus? Did you see Lily's? A stag and a doe."

"Geez Prongs." It was the shortest thing Lily had ever heard him say and it was impossible that there was any double entendre or sarcasm wrapped up in it. At least, it seemed impossible to Lily. Her brain was so clouded now it was very possible that she had missed the rest of what Sirius said. Braving a glance up, she saw that his lips were still moving so obviously he was forming words.

This was ridiculous. She had lost her hearing and control over most of her other brain functions because of a kiss. And not just any kiss from any boy but a kiss from James Potter. He was insufferable, annoying immature and everything she hated.

Except that he wasn't insufferable, they had a good time together now. Like that day under the tree. He was still annoying, but in a way that excited and challenged her. And as for immaturity well, he was making a lot more sense than she was right now. Her patronus had been a doe and his was a stag. Sirius called him prongs. And he kissed her.

"A stag and a doe." She whispered. "A stag and a doe," she repeated louder. James was staring at her. Sirius was definitely silent now. Every member of the room seemed to be holding their breath, most of all Lily herself.

"Go out with me, Evans?" James suddenly murmured, neither blinking nor moving an inch.

"Ok." Lily replied, her voice shaky. "Maybe just once. Potter."

_**A.N.**__ So what did you think? It's just a one shot for now but I'm considering writing it again from James's p.o.v if you'd like… let me know in your reviews :). I also might write their first date from the p.o.v of either character or write the event of one of the memories that helped Lily cast her patronus… If there is anything in that list you want to read tell me in your review or a pm and the most popular will get written first. So please review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism too will only help me to improve my writing. _


	2. Chapter 2

_**A Stag and a Doe- James**_

Defence Against the Dark Arts had always been James' favourite lesson. It came naturally to him even more so than his other lessons and it was fun too. There was much more call to mess around with the other marauders and spice up the lives of the Slytherins in his own special way.

This year, it was fast becoming his favourite lesson for a very different reason. Professor Lamb, ex Gryffindor student and captain of the Quiditch team was thrilled that the head boy and girl were both in members of his old house and, assuming that they couldn't be anything less than amazing, demanded they work together.

Lily acted as if she was furious at first but James knew better. He'd watched her constantly since the first day he saw her on the Hogwarts Express. She was beautiful, even as an eleven year old, but it was her feisty temper that excited him. She was a talented witch and a complex person. She liked to wear her emotions on her sleeve when she was happy or angry but when she was upset or worried she was much more withdrawn. Her attempts to cover those emotions with her trademark anger fooled everyone but James and he always knew when not to annoy her, even though it killed him to not at least attempt to talk to her once every day.

Now, it wasn't sadness she was trying to cover but what he really, really hoped was happiness. Ever since he'd been made head boy he'd gotten much closer to Lily. She had to let him in at least a little if they were to work together and James had slowly worked his way higher and higher in her opinion that he could believe that they were friends now. And if they were friends, he could hope much less vainly that they could be something more than friends.

He turned curiously to look at her now, wanting to see what she was feeling and hoping that she was just as distracted as he was, thinking about him as much as he was thinking about her.

He smiled, seeing her sparkling green eyes glazed over, her chin resting in her hand and facing slightly towards him. She was thinking about him. Was she? Or was it just his wishful thinking taking over again, the way it had so many times before.

She looked up, probably feeling his gaze on her face and James was obliged to speak. He didn't want her to know he'd been staring at her again.

"It's not like you to be distracted Evans… Thinking about me were you?" Did she just blush? Maybe it wasn't wishful thinking…

"In your dreams Potter, I was thinking about writing home, that's all. What are we doing?"

"Paring up and practising Patronuses," he answered quickly. She was so difficult to read, shooting hot and cold signals all over the place that could drive him crazy. It made him want to drive her crazy too just so he knew he could affect her the way she affected him.

"This is one spell you are NOT going to master quicker than me, Lil. Not even by summoning the happiest memory you've ever had." Well, except if you're in love with someone. Then just thinking about him will be strong enough to produce a patronus, the way it was for him a few months ago.

"Whatever Potter. Winning the quiditch cup isn't quite a happy enough memory to produce a corporeal patronus. Maybe if I'd actually agreed to go out with you once…" She stopped but it was already too late. The ember of hope James had allowed himself to cradle as their friendship grew and burst into a full blown bonfire.

"Whoa, watch what you're saying there Lils. You have been thinking about me haven't you? Upset I haven't asked you out in a while?" It was bold. It was brave. It could ruin everything they'd built up over the last year but James didn't really care because Lily had mentioned dating him. Mentioning it meant she'd been thinking about it. She wanted it.

"N-no of course not," was her stammered reply. There was no anger in her voice or on her face though, just a beautiful, intoxicating deep red blush.

"Now stop trying to distract me and get on with the spell. Or don't you realise how important learning to cast a patronus is? It can save your soul you know, if you have one." She was cold again but this time it didn't quash James' hope, he could tell when she was hiding her real emotions. Maybe if he opened up to her he could coax her into letting them out. She was so complex; he loved to carefully untangle her layers one by one whenever she let him.

"Yeah I know. I cast one once before. Dementors out of the ministries control attacked my house about a year back and my dad didn't have his wand on him. I literally saved his soul, if he has one." James heard the tinge of scorn in his voice as he repeated Lily's words back to her but he didn't want to mask how he felt about his father in front of her, the way he did with others. He wanted to be completely honest.

"Merlin James, I had no idea." She replied, true awe and amazement in her voice." That's, that's amazing. Casting a patronus like that without training. That's amazing magic. Your dad must have been so grateful."

"Yeah something like that." He thought back to that day without much joy. His dad hadn't been in the least bit grateful James had saved him. Instead he simply asked James to sit with him in his study without even a simple thank you before he launched into a full blown lecture about magic, the responsibilities it generated and how James really had to apply himself at school. He was obviously talented and with effort he could land a cushy high-paid ministry position like his father. No thanks, James wanted to be an auror. It was as far from a cushy office position as he could get without his father cutting him off completely and he'd be able to fight death eaters.

Although he wanted to be honest with Lily, he didn't want to vent all his problems with his father in one go, he just wanted her to know what sort of a man he was before changing the subject.

"Fluke," was all she said to his explanation and he was glad she understood he couldn't and wouldn't talk about it yet.

"Yeah? We'll see about that. Come on, cast together. On the count of 3…"

He stared at her, happy not to need an excuse and even more thrilled she was staring back.

"Ready? 1…2…" He started to conjure up his happiest memories. The first day he'd seen her on the Hogwarts Express, getting his heads letter with the words 'working alongside Head Girl Lily Evans', patrolling and talking together late at night, the first time she called him James, the hope she'd ignited in him just a few minutes before that she might love him back one day…

"3." They were staring at each other, smiling the same smile.

"Expecto Patronum!" They yelled simultaneously and James had to force himself to break eye contact to look at the patronuses that had escaped from both their wands.

And when he did look away, it was the most breathtaking, amazing, perfect, sensational thing he'd ever laid eyes on. Of all the times he'd dreamed of Lily saying yes he'd never actually imagined that she would feel like this. That she could love him the way he loved her without realising it was just incredible. And now he would show her what it really was to be so completely in love with one person and only one person for forever.

So he kissed her, with every ounce of love, of lust, of anything he had ever felt towards her and she kissed him back. The perfection of the moment crashed over James in waves and for the first time in his Hogwarts lifetime he was ready to kill when Sirius broke the moment.

"Prongs my boy, just when I think you've finally given up you pull a stunt like this. At least she couldn't say no this time, huh?"

"Yeah Padfoot, couldn't say no." Couldn't he tell this was hardly the time for joking? "Did you see my patronus? Did you see Lily's? A stag and a doe."

"Geez Prongs. I always knew you'd get her one day but I didn't expect her to be in love with you!"

"Neither did I. But you know what this means Sirius. We're Meant to be together. We have to be."

"Don't get your hopes up too high, mate. Just ask her out, take it slow. You're only young you know. Too young to get tied down."

James had stopped listening. Lily was staring at him, her lips moving unintelligibly.

"A stag and a doe," she repeated as they stared at each other. Sirius had cottoned on and shut up, in fact, the entire room was silent. Waiting.

"Go out with me, Evans?" He dared to ask, terrified that she'd say no again. That she'd hit him for kissing her, curse him for looking at her like that, hex him just because she wanted to.

But she didn't. Instead she muttered the golden word he'd waited to hear for almost seven years.

"Ok. Maybe just once, Potter."

_A.N. So what did you think? I know it took me longer than I told you it would but I found it harder to right as James, and to get into his more masculine mindset so I'm really sorry if he came off sounding incredibly girly or at least a little camp lol. It also turned out to be longer than I thought because James has so much love for Lily that I could hardly condense it down. Anyway, let me know what you think and if you'd like any more instalments to this story as I may continue it if you want. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review :) _


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